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German space startups propel development of mini rocket launchers
RFI
05 Aug 2021, 04:16 GMT+10
Three German startups are developing mini rocket launchers for the increasing number of small satellites which observe the Earth and provide connectivity for the internet of things and smart vehicles.
At the end of July, German company Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) carried out a first successful test of its RFA One rocket, igniting the engine for eight seconds at its development site in Kiruna, Sweden.
The rocket s staged combustion system is used by Elon Musk s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos s Blue Origin, but is yet to be rolled out in Europe.
Isar Aerospace becomes “most well-funded space start-up” in EU
Isar, the Munich-based launch service provider for small and medium satellites, has extended its Series B funding to $165m.
The round was led by HV Capital, Porsche SE, and Lombard Odier. There was also “substantial participation” from existing investors Earlybird, Lakestar, Vsquared Ventures, and Apeiron.
It added $75m to the amount raised at the end of last year. With total financing of more than $180m Isar declares itself the most well-funded space start-up in the European Union.
The funding will be used to invest in launch, testing, and manufacturing infrastructure for its largely automated rocket production. The company is expecting its first test flight in 2022.